Institute to Enhance Palliative Care - About Us
The Institute's Focus
Professional Education
Education in palliative care is often tangential to curricula in medical,
nursing, and other health sciences schools, leaving many medical professionals
unprepared to meet the needs of critically ill and dying patients. As a
national leader in curriculum innovation in health care education for
palliative care, the Institute works with a variety of departments, schools,
and centers at the University of Pittsburgh to enhance and improve the education of
providers across disciplines and at all levels of training. The Institute mentors
and encourages students in nursing, medicine, social work, and pharmacy to participate
in research, clinical, and educational programs, as well as to choose careers in
palliative care. We develop curricula and champion education of health professionals
in the principles, practices, and ethics of palliative care, with the goal that
tomorrow's physicians, nurses, social workers, and other professionals will be
available to provide patients and families with compassionate and clinically excellent
palliative care.
Research
Research is fundamental to eliminating unnecessary suffering during critical
illness and at the end of life. The Institute to Enhance Palliative Care focuses
the research capabilities of the University of Pittsburgh on palliative care with
a particular emphasis on educational techniques, communication regarding end-of-life
issues, clinical trials in palliative medicine, and family and caregiver needs.
We conduct and mentor research with the goal of developing new knowledge about the
needs of people who are seriously ill or near the end of life, and the best ways to
meet those needs.
Community Engagement and Education
Many patients and families who receive palliative care say they wished they
had known about these services sooner. This is why the Institute works to raise
awareness and mobilize broad public demand for improved services for the seriously
ill and dying across the continuum of care in all communities by reaching out to
the public with information about palliative care. We collaborate with interested
groups as well as provide consultation and support to area health care institutions
and providers with the goal of increasing public and professional awareness of the
need for palliative and hospice care and for continuous improvement.
The Institute's Work
- Develop and champion education of health professionals in
the principles, practices, and ethics of palliative care, so that
tomorrow's physicians, nurses, social workers, and other professionals
will be available to provide patients and families with superb palliative
care.
- Conduct and mentor research that develops new knowledge about the
needs of people who are seriously ill or near the end of life, and the best
ways to meet those needs.
- Collaborate with interested groups to increase public awareness of the
need for palliative and hospice care and for continuous improvement.
- Provide consultation and support to area healthcare institutions and providers.
The new online Institute to Enhance Palliative Care Brochure is available here.
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